Digital Commons Network^™

Native Americans, Part Ii, Kevin Abourezk

Truth and Reconciliation History Project

The Civil Rights Movement of the 1950s and 1960s – aimed at abolishing legalized racial segregation and discrimination across the United States – found expression in Nebraska in many ways. From college protests to marches in Lincoln, the movement found a home within the youth and counterculture communities of Lincoln and Omaha. But less known is the way the movement impacted Native American populations, especially those in remote Nebraska communities. “Just as young Hispanics, Asians, and Native Americans across the nation were learning the lessons of the black experience of the 1960s and expressing their identity as they sought to …

Faculty Senate Executive Committee Minutes September 22, 2025, Utah State University

Faculty Senate & Faculty Senate Executive Committee

• Call to Order
• Approval of Minutes - August 25, 2025
• University Business
• Faculty Senate Business
• Information
• EPC Report - September 4, 2025
• Report
• EPC Annual Report
• Old Business
• New Business
• Adjourn: 4:30 pm

Performance Of A Two-Body Wave Energy Converter With An Annular Heave Plate, Raj Tamakuwala, Muhammad Usman, Nathan Tom, Hassan Masoud

Michigan Tech Publications

We theoretically examine the performance of a two-body wave energy converter (WEC) featuring a floating sphere and a submerged annular heave plate, connected by a power take-off (PTO) system. Utilising linear wave theory, we derive the system's frequency-domain response to regular plane waves and analyse the impact of varying disk porosity on power generation. Our results suggest that annular disks can enhance power extraction efficiency in various cases compared with solid heave plates. Additionally, permeable plates can broaden operational conditions by reducing oscillation amplitudes and decreasing the mechanical strain on the PTO system without substantially compromising the power conversion efficiency. …

Global Transport Emissions 1850–2020: Historical Drivers And Lessons For Transport Decarbonization, Bernardo Tostes, Sofia T. Henriques, Matthew Kuperus Heun, Paul E. Brockway, Tânia Sousa

University Faculty Publications and Creative Works

This study analyzes global transport CO2 emissions from 1850 to 2020 using the LMDI method, offering, for the first time, a decomposition over such a long timespan and global scope. Emissions are split into technological and demand-related drivers using a new dataset. Transport efficiency is divided into final-to-useful efficiency and useful energy intensity, a novel distinction. Key findings include: (1) efficiency improvements avoided 9067 Gt CO2 by 2019, with peak impacts in 1950–1973 (-1.62 %/yr) and 2008–2020 (-3.63 %/yr), respectively; (2) these gains were insufficient to counter rising demand, which led to 8252 Gt CO2 in cumulative emissions; (3) demand …

Applied Linear Regression Techniques To Biomedical Research And Detecting Change-Points To Enhance Model Flexibility By Improving Interpretability And Applicability, Hoang Vu

Student Theses and Dissertations

This thesis examines change-point detection in statistical models through the framework of two-way truncated linear regression with threshold effects. Our work is based on Two-Way Truncated Linear Regression Models with Extremely Thresholding Penalization (TWT-LR with ETP) by Teng and Zhang (2022) which is an innovative approach extends traditional linear regression by incorporating potential change-points in both intercept and slope parameters, effectively handling multiple change-points through a specialized penalization technique that shrinks small coefficients to zero. This methodology demonstrates remarkable effectiveness in identifying significant change-points while maintaining computational efficiency. We propose a framework that models both upper and lower thresholds in …

Education Pandemonium: A Phenomenological Study Exploring The Lived Experiences Of Middle School Teacher-Parents’ During The Covid Crisis, Harold Wayne Stanfield

Student Theses and Dissertations

This qualitative, phenomenological study explored the lived experiences of middle school teacher-parents (MST-Parents) during the COVID-19 pandemic in an urban school district in southeastern Mississippi. The research investigated how educators balance professional responsibilities with familial obligations during a public health emergency. Semi-structured interviews with eight participants identified role ambiguity, deficits in institutional support, and resource limitations as significant stressors. To balance their dual role demands, participants depended significantly on the assistance of colleagues. Numerous findings aligned with the study's theoretical framework; however, a notable limitation in participant feedback, particularly about instructional and technical support from their children's schools, necessitated additional …

The Impacts Of The Lack Of Access To Information And Communication Technologies (Ict) On African American Students, Alisha Shanta Williams

Student Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this qualitative, phenomenological study is to examine the relationship between the lack of access to information and communication technologies and the grade point averages among African American students in Arkansas Rural Delta schools. The problem addressed in this qualitative phenomenological study is limited access to technology among African American students in the Rural Arkansas Delta and its influence on grade point averages and overall academic success. This research strived to explore and portray the experiences of students facing extenuating circumstances and barriers with technological resources and the effect on their achievement. The methodology used is qualitative, and …

Heat Transfer Enhancement In Cold Plate Heat Exchangers With Trapezoidal Vortex Generators, Montgomery Miller

Student Theses and Dissertations

An experimental investigation was carried out to study the effects of trapezoidal vortex generators (VGs) as a method of thermal enhancement within cold plate heat exchangers. Three different cold plates were imbedded with VGs in the bottom of the flow passage of varying sizes (h/H = 0.195, 0.253, 0.36) and quantity, as well as a cold plate with no VGs to be used as a comparative baseline. Testing was conducted under the laminar, transitional, and turbulent flow regime (Re = 1000 to 5500) using distilled water as the coolant. Experimental results indicate that the addition of VGs provide a positive …

Investigation Of Micronized Rubber Powder As An Alternative To Polymer Modifiers In Asphalt Pavement, Md Torikul Islam

Student Theses and Dissertations

Researchers have increasingly focused on polymer additives to enhance asphalt pavement performance. Crumb rubber (CR), derived from waste vehicle tires, has emerged as a potential modifier. This study investigates Micronized Rubber Powder (MRP), smaller than 75 μm, as an alternative to polymer modifiers. A PG 64-22 binder was modified with 5%, 10%, and 15% MRP (by weight), and the properties were compared with those of an SBS-modified PG 70-22 binder. Physical, mechanical, and chemical properties were assessed. The results indicated that MRP significantly increased viscosity and required higher processing temperatures. MRP-modified binders demonstrated improved rutting resistance, creep recovery, high-temperature performance, …

Achieving Low Greenhouse Gas Emissions In Non-Flooded Rice Through Effective Nitrogen Fertilizer Management, Nikki Arivel Larazo

Student Theses and Dissertations

Rice cultivation offers many opportunities including secure food supply, support livelihoods and mitigate greenhouse gas emissions (GHG), particularly methane (CH4) and nitrous oxide (N2O). This study evaluated the impact of irrigation method and nitrogen (N) fertilizer type on GHG emissions and yield in drill-seeded rice from 2022 to 2024. A field study was conducted to compare the impacts of flooded and furrow irrigation with either Urea or sulfur-enriched urea (Urea-S) at 168 kg N ha⁻¹ on rice yield, N use efficiency and GHG emissions. Gas samples were collected using flux vented chamber method and analyzed via gas chromatography. Furrow irrigation …

Comparative Analysis Of Belt-Slider Pan Configurations On The Power Consumption Of Belted Conveyor Systems, Asib Ridwan

Student Theses and Dissertations

Conveyor systems are widely used in industrial applications for material handling, but their high energy consumption remains a significant challenge. This study investigated the influence of different belt-slider pan configurations on conveyor power consumption, aiming to optimize efficiency while minimizing energy losses. Three types of slider pans; mild steel, galvanized steel, and powder-coated steel, were analyzed under controlled experimental conditions to determine the motor torque and power consumption of a test conveyor system under various loading conditions. Torque and power values were derived, plotted, and comparatively analyzed across all configurations to determine performance differences. Static friction coefficients of each type …

Designing A Hybrid Renewable Energy System For The College Of Engineering And Computer Science At Arkansas State University, Partho Das Neer

Student Theses and Dissertations

The main objective of this thesis is to design and analyze the performance of a hybrid renewable energy systems (HRES) for the college of engineering and computer science at Arkansas State University. By implementing the framework as a micro-grid to supply the required power to the Lab Science West building of the college. The proposed model ensures energy reliability and cost reduction. The model consists of photovoltaic (PV) panels, wind turbines (WT), and batteries, whereas MATLAB software was used to design the system and the Electrical Transient Analyzer Program (ETAP) Software is utilized to analyze the effectiveness of the operation …

The Effects Of Technology On Engagement Among Stem-Based Students At Historically Black Colleges Or Universities, Matthew Evan Bellinger

Student Theses and Dissertations

This study is meant to address the positive or negative instances of student engagement through technology use among STEM students at HBCUs. The intended demographic from this includes STEM students at HBCUs, but also administrators who have a role in enrollment or retention. The wider range of relevant parties is due to the purpose of this study which is to investigate the different forms of technology on STEM students and faculty as they are implemented in higher education at HBCUs. This was accomplished by connecting the technology used by students or faculty to either a Technology-Enhanced Learning environment (engagement) or …

Aquatic Macroinvertebrate Diversity And Water Quality As Indicators Of Wetland Health In Natural And Constructed Wetlands Of Northeast Arkansas, Helena Grace Wheeler

Student Theses and Dissertations

Exposure to different abiotic factors drives a shift in macroinvertebrate communities. In wetland systems, soil is the primary driver of the aquatic system. Analyzing community dynamics in association with soil composition, water physiochemical properties, wetland size and age is valuable in determining wetland health. Little research has been done to examine the direct relationship between wetland soil parameters and macroinvertebrate communities. Macroinvertebrate diversity, community composition, and soil and water composition data were analyzed from natural wetlands, Agricultural Conservation Easement - Wetland Reserve Easement Program (ACEP-WRE) wetlands, and agricultural wetlands within the Mississippi Alluvial Plain. Sample collection occurred from February to …

Functional Role Of Cysteine Residues In Vtlr Of Agrobacterium Tumefaciens, Suravi Islam

Theses and Dissertations

Agrobacterium tumefaciens is a soil-dwelling plant pathogen known for transferring DNA to host plants through a type IV secretion system. Central to its virulence and cellular regulation is the LysR-type transcriptional regulator, VtlR, which controls processes including biofilm formation, motility, tumorigensis, and small RNA expression. Although VtlR’s regulatory role is established, the specific functions of its conserved cysteine residues have only recently begun to be explored. This study investigates VtlR’s four cysteines (C144, C236, C244, and C273) through site-directed mutagenesis and a combination of phenotypic assays and transcriptional profiling. Phenotypic assays confirmed that C144 and C273 are important for proper …

Book Review: Age Of Revolutions: Progress And Backlash From 1600 To The Present, Thimothy Martin, John Erickson

Parameters Bookshelf – Online Book Reviews

Author: Fareed Zakaria

Reviewed by Lieutenant Colonel Timothy Martin, director, Defense Strategy Course, US Army War College, and John Erickson, senior engineer, Axiom Technologies

Age of Revolutions: Progress and Backlash from 1600 to the Present explores revolutions from the seventeenth century to today. Part I offers historical case studies of revolutions, including socioeconomic, political, and technological examples. Part II discusses current economic, technological, identity, and geopolitical revolutions and their implications—like the ways technology improves life but at the price of depersonalization and digital addiction for some. The reviewer recommends this book for lovers of international relations, history, philosophy, and strategic …

Robert Sofaly V. Portfolio Recovery Associates Llc

2025 Decisions

USDC for the Western District of Pennsylvania

Exclusion From The Good Life: The Impact Of Anti-Asian Racism On Asian Nebraskans, Heather Fryer, Sharon Ishii-Jordan

Truth and Reconciliation History Project

To understand how Americans of Asian descent experienced, adjusted, and overcame negative experiences in Nebraska, recognizing the external forces on their lives is paramount. The experiences of Asians in their diaspora across the U.S. and Nebraska during a 150-year span have been shaped by both external (global and domestic) and internal (personality and resilience) factors. The presence of stereotypes specifically targeted toward Asian Americans due to exotic imaginings, pseudoscience, and economic fears, in addition to the images created by national media, gave rise to society’s acceptance of stereotypes. These external factors contributed to a belief that continues to this day …

Special Education Teacher Attrition, Gender Roles And Human Motivation, Kristen Yurczak

Student Theses and Dissertations

This qualitative narrative inquiry examined the lived experiences of special education teachers working within United States public schools, focusing on factors contributing to special education teacher attrition, such as intrinsic and extrinsic motivation, job satisfaction, and gender dynamics. Fifteen certified special education teachers with at least two years of experience participated in semi-structured interviews conducted during the summer of 2024. This study is framed in theories of human motivation and gender roles, which informed the research questions and the analysis. The study’s findings indicated that intrinsic motivators—including a sense of purpose and the opportunity to positively impact students' lives were …

Faculty Senate Executive Committee Agenda September 22, 2025, Utah State University

Faculty Senate & Faculty Senate Executive Committee

• 3:00 Call to Order
• Approval of Minutes August 25, 2025
• 3:05 University Business
• 3:20 Faculty Senate Business
• 3:35 Information
• EPC Report - September 4, 2025
• 3:40 Report
• EPC Annual Report
• 4:05 Old Business
• 4:10 New Business
• Adjourn: 4:30 pm

Chimes: September 22, 2025, Calvin University

Chimes

Parking prices increase: How are students feeling? by Addy Offutt & Ian Tjoelker

"Famous last words": Calvin Theatre Company's latest 24-hour theatre by McKenna Wilkilson

Student Senate's bright hopes for a new year by Jorie Cho

Dining in looks different this year: Ex-ploring dining hall changes by Evangeline Anga

Constitution Day celebration sparks dialogue on campus by Ella Vanden Berg

To cut language is to cut identity: A call to Calvin's conscience by Sarah Sparling

Ron Nischwitz, Former Coach, Men's Baseball, Wright State University, Ron Nischwitz, Kathy Morris, Dan Abrahamowicz

Wright State University Retirees Association Oral History Project

This oral history interview documents the life and career of Ron Nischwitz, a Dayton native, former Major League Baseball player, and longtime Wright State University baseball coach. Nischwitz reflects on his journey from collegiate and professional baseball to building a successful coaching career, while also managing a business and overcoming significant personal challenges, including major health issues. The interview highlights his lasting impact on Wright State’s baseball program, his dedication to student development, and the legacy he established through both athletics and philanthropy.

[Excerpt From] High Reliability Organizations (3rd Ed.), Cynthia Oster

Sigma Publications: Book Excerpts

Patient safety and quality of care are critical concerns of healthcare consumers, payers, providers, organizations, health systems, and governments. Evidence shows that high reliability methods enable the most efficient, safe, and effective care; however, these methods are not the standard in all healthcare systems.

Nurses—who are on the front line of providing safe and effective care—are ideally situated to drive high reliability. High Reliability Organizations: A Healthcare Handbook for Patient Safety & Quality, Third Edition, equips nurses and healthcare professionals with the tools necessary to establish an error detection and prevention system. In this new edition, authors Cynthia A. Oster …

09.22.2025 Ored Connect, Liz Williamson

ORED Newsletter

• Ralph E. Powe Junior Faculty Enhancement Award
• MIG Application Opportunity
• 10th Annual Advancing MS Conference

Development Of An Instrumented Test System To Evaluate Mechanical Characteristics Of Belted Conveyor Systems, Coleman Emerson Wilson

Student Theses and Dissertations

The use of conveyor systems within industrial and warehouse settings gives the ability for increased productivity and increased speed of moving objects. As in many settings, the use of these conveyor systems requires large amounts of continuous runtime, and the ability to save even small amounts of energy over a large period can create large improvements in the total overhead cost of running the facility. Research into the ability to characterize the components within a conveyor system gives the ability to identify sources of large amounts of wasted energy and quantify these losses. There is a need to quantify the …

Designing For Shalom: Deepening Faith Integration In Engineering And Technology, Fred Haan

University Faculty Publications and Creative Works

Presented on 9/22/2025 at the event, Integration of Faith and Learning in the Disciplines at the University Pelita Harapan in Jakarta, Indonesia

Young Adults’ Self-Perceptions Of Parenting Styles And Attachments Influencing Juvenile Criminality, Keristin Zanda Scott

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Parenting styles, parent-to-child attachments, and parental involvements are contributing factors leading to juvenile delinquency. Adolescents are committing offending acts at a younger age, recidivating, and perpetrating with peers or parents. However, there is a lack of empirical research on juvenile perceptions of parenting, juvenile criminality, and desistance implications. The purpose of this interpretive phenomenological study was to explore past juvenile criminal offenders’ lived experiences and the corresponding influence parenting styles had on their deviant behaviors. Ainsworth and Bowlby’s attachment theory, Baumrind’s parenting style theory, and Bandura’s social learning theory provided a lens for examining young adults’ perceptions of parenting related …

The Rider (2025-09-22), Daniela Martinez Salazar

The Rider Archives

Vol. 11, No. 4

Neurofilament Light (Nfl) Chain Levels Predict Clinical Decline In Alzheimer’S Disease: A Systematic Review And Meta-Analysis, Kim Thomas, Paul Spin, Nikita Sir, Kevin Hou, Nicholas J. Ashton, Henrik Zetterberg, Sonya Miller, Carol Pringle, Richard G. Stefanacci, Claude M. Wischik, Serge Gauthier

College of Population Health Faculty Papers

BACKGROUND: Regulatory approval of new investigational Alzheimer's disease (AD) therapies could be accelerated if reasonably likely surrogate endpoints could be used. Neurofilament light chain (NfL) has potential utility as a prognostic biomarker of neurodegeneration in AD.

OBJECTIVE: To synthesize available evidence on the relationship between baseline NfL levels and longitudinal clinical decline.

METHODS: A systematic literature review identified 19 eligible studies, contributing 37 longitudinal statistical models evaluating the association between baseline NfL (plasma or cerebrospinal fluid [CSF]) with subsequent clinical decline based on validated clinical scales including Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE), Alzheimer's Disease Assessment Scale-Cognitive Subscale, and Clinical Dementia Rating. …

Immunotherapy For Precision Medicine In Colorectal Cancer, Miao Cao, Michael Xu, Zinah Bairmani, Babar Bashir, Scott A. Waldman, Adam E. Snook

Department of Pharmacology, Physiology, and Cancer Biology Faculty Papers

INTRODUCTION: Colorectal cancer (CRC) is the fourth most common cancer and second leading cause of cancer-related death in the United States. The implementation of CRC screening has decreased CRC incidence in adults older than 65 years. However, among young adults who experience more aggressive disease progression, CRC incidence has been increasing for decades. Immunotherapy represents a collection of innovative and promising approaches with greater efficacy and safety. In this review, we discuss modalities and selected targets of immunotherapies for CRCs that are guided by precision medicine.

AREAS COVERED: The following review focuses on immunological approaches for CRCs, including therapeutic monoclonal …